676 REPTILES—ELAPIDA. 
inches; transverse diameter of head 14 inches; of neck, $ inch; circumference of body, 
4 inches. 
Habitat, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, South 
Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Kansas and Ohio. 
Genus TOXICOPHIS. Troost. 
Cephalic region covered with eleven plates, ertical and superciliaries in a line 
with eyes, the occipital situated more posteriorly ; anteorbitals two, elongated longi- 
tudinully; nasals two; loral absent; head triangular; dorsal scales carinated, in 25 
rows; tail moderate, tapering to a corneous point; caudal rattle none; urosteges bifid 
posteriorally. Extralimital. 
ToxIcoPHIs Piscivorus Lacepede. 
Water Moccasin. 
Crotalus piscivorus, LACEPEDE. 
Scytalus piscivorus, LATREILLE, DauDIN, HARLAN. 
Coluber aquaticus, SHAW. 
Natrix piscivorus, MERREM. 
Acontias leucostomus, TROOST. 
Trigonocephalus piscivorus, HOLBROOK, GRAY, DUMERIL and BIBRON, DEKay. 
Toxicophis piscivorus, BAIRD and GIRARD. 
Ancistrodon piscivorus, JORDON, 
Color above brown, with dark vertical bars of black and red; head purplish-black ; 
beneath black, blotched with dirty yellow; a yellow band in occipital region ; vertical 
plate as long as occipitals ; labials 8 above, 11 below; gastrosteges, 135-140; urosteges, 
42-46. Length, 28 inches; head, 1%; tail, 44; transverso diameter of head, 1} inches; 
of neck, inch; circumference of body 4 inches. } 
Habitat, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Southern © 
Illinois, and Arkansas. 
The Water Moccasin is more aggressive than the Eat iinenaeen attacking everything 
that comes within reach. Its mode of attack is to erect its head, open its mouth, and 
strike without warning. It is decidedly aquatic, being always found near or in water, 
and in swampy places. 
FAMILY HLAPID A: 
Teeth in both jaws; small poison fangs in front; body colubriform; head oval, not 
separable from the neck, and covered with plates; pit etween the eye and nostril 
wanting; dorsal scales smooth ; urosteges bifid; tail pointed, without rattle. Extra- 
limital. 
GENUS ELAPS. Schneider. 
Cleft of mouth moderate ; cephalic and temporal region with plates; postorbitals two; 
anteorbitals one; nasals two; labials and inframaxillaries large; post-abdominal 
scutella entire. 
ELAps FULVIus Cuvier. 
Bead Snake. 
e 
Jet black, yellow and red bands alternating render this species easily recognizable.’ 
Habitat, Virginia, Georgia, Florid», Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas. 
